Everyone gets overwhelmed sometimes, especially when it is easy to fall victim to a busy schedule. Hours, days and weeks drag on in an endless march towards your next paycheck or school break. The most important thing in these times is to reach out and be with people you love. While many of us can rely on a parent or sibling, sometimes this isn’t an option, or at least not right now. The next best thing is your chosen family – your friends.
Whether (like my friends and I) you met on your first day in residence, classes, or if you met somewhere else along the way, your friends will always be people you can fall back on. They can make a huge impact during a bad point in your life. No matter how busy you all may be or how infrequently you are able to see one another, nothing beats the moment when you’re all together again. Even living with some of your closest friends doesn’t guarantee a lot of face time with them. Fitting them in and making the effort to see each other makes the world of a difference.
Balance in our lives assists with success. While you could very well succeed if you could put all of your time and energy into one thing at a time, this isn’t really how it works. Life throws us a lot of curve balls. Just when you think you’ve climbed over the mountain, you realize you have only made it halfway. I have found that when I have extended myself the most is when I benefit the most from being around my friends.
If last minute plans aren’t your thing (shout out to my fellow control freaks) then don’t be afraid to pick a day and time for some friend gatherings. Even if it’s only an hour or two, your friends are probably going through similar situations as you. Their stresses may take different forms, but they often impact us in similar ways. Talk through your week, eat copious amounts of food together, watch a movie, go for walks at night in a group, or even hop on a bus over to the mall for a few hours. Getting the time to give your brain a mental break but also be stimulated in conversation with some of your favourite humans will help you refocus on conquering another week.
Developing your relationships with friends helps strengthen your support group. I have known some of my closest friends since we were in the third grade and we still learn new things about each other every day. Growing together and working through our toughest moments reinforce bonds that hold you up when you need it most. Don’t forget how important that is. No matter your schedule, or how many impending deadlines you have, one night with your best friends can take the weight of the world off of your shoulders. Pencil in your Taco Tuesdays and Movie Mondays for hang out sessions you could regret not having more of.